The Office of Syrian Communities Abroad in the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) recently organized a meeting with leaders of Syrian organizations in the United States. The participants engaged in discussions regarding the situation in Syria, with a particular focus on the region east of the Euphrates River, acknowledging its significant role in the Syrian revolution since its inception.
The meeting was attended by SOC’s Vice-President, Abdulahad Astepho, Muhammad Yahya Maktabi, a member of the political committee and Coordinator of the office, and Abdullah Kado, another member of the political committee. Representatives from the Syrian community in the United States, including Muhammad Bakr Ghbeis, Mirna Barq, Haitham al-Bazm, Suzanne Meriden, Maysa Qabbani, Muhammad Khawam, Wael Sawah, Mahmoud Harmoush, and Maryam Jalabi, were also present.
SOC members highlighted the crucial contribution of all elements in the eastern region towards the revolution against the Assad regime. They expressed concern about the questionable actions of the PYD militia, including its pressure on peaceful anti-regime demonstrations and subsequent alignment with the terrorist organization PKK, which disrupted dialogue efforts in the region.
The SOC representatives emphasized that the mindset of the PYD militia mirrors that of the Assad regime, stressing that the militia serves the agenda of the PKK, which does not truly represent the Kurds and operates as a trans-border terrorist organization detached from the Syrian Kurds’ national identity. They pointed out that whenever the PYD militia is urged to separate itself from the PKK, it threatens to cease its fight against ISIS.
Syrian-American organizations urged coordination and cooperation with the SOC to expose the grave violations committed by the PYD militia, intending to bring them to the attention of American administrations. The delegation from these organizations affirmed that there are currents and forces within the United States that do not support the PYD militia, and it is crucial to leverage this stance. They emphasized that the challenges in the eastern Euphrates region can only be resolved through the consensus of the local population, with regional and international assistance.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
